In <002d01c74652$e0c9c290$6b01010a@REDMOUNTAIN01>, Patrick Mackin wrote: > >Is that HD-capable? HDTV seems quite common in NA, but currently in the > >UK there are very few HD channels, only available through overpriced > >subscriptions. It looks unlikely that there'll be any FTA/FTV HD until > >at least after the analogue terrestrial switch-off in 2012. > > HDTV is not as common here as the advertising would make you believe. HDTV > programming is very limited here also. The famous "shut off" of analog > signals in NA is honestly much ado about nothing (interesting choice in > year 2012 by the way). It concerns only OTA HDTV terrestrial reception, > and in America, the vast majority of households (90%+) subscribe to cable > or satellite. The remaining 10% are the homes that are too poor to afford > an HDTV, and therefore won't care about OTA HDTV signals. Sorry to bring this up again, but the situation is worse than I thought. I've just heard that when UK analogue TV is discontinued, the government plans to sell off the bandwidth to the highest bidder (probably a mobile phone company) rather than use it for HDTV. So please could all UK readers visit <http://www.hdforall.org.uk> and sign both petitions. At least in N America HDTV can be considered mainstream in that, even if you have to pay for them, a lot of the prime shows eg Lost, 24, Prison Break, are available in HD. In the UK you've got a choice between Sky and cable (if you happen to live in the right area for the one with HD). AFAICT from browsing my Sky EPG Sky's own HD channels show non-HD material most of the time. BBC's HD channel has only demos, old non-HD shows, and the same costume drama that they've been showing every day since the servie was launched. You do get National Geographic HD. In terms of content I prefer Discovery, but they can't even manage widescreen yet! Apparently on Telewest cable you don't get any of the above except BBC. You also get an ITV HD channel which has about as much fresh material as the BBC one, and you can get old movies on demand (so that would be pay-per-view presumably). -- TH * http://www.realh.co.uk
